Zynga founder Pincus leaving operations role

Online game maker Zynga says company founder Mark Pincus is stepping down as chief product officer, less than a year after he was replaced as the company's CEO.

Zynga says Pincus will remain chairman of the company he founded in 2007.

Zynga went public in 2011 on the strength of games like "Farmville" and "Mafia Wars," which had enthusiastic Facebook followings. But then rival digital game makers invaded Facebook and more people migrated to other pastimes on smartphones. Zynga has been cutting jobs and posting losses.

Don Mattrick had replaced Pincus as CEO in July. He had been in charge of Microsoft's interactive entertainment division.

The San Francisco-based company on Wednesday also announced several new executive hires.

Shares rose 3.6 percent in aftermarket trading.